MAROA - Students at Maroa-Forsyth High School began recycling paper about five years ago, placing bins in likely places such as near teachers' desks and in the work room, where copies are made.

Then about two years ago, Molly Hepker, vice president of membership for the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America club at the school, noticed how many plastic drink bottles were landing in the trash every day.

"I was sitting in lunch one day, and I realized how much we waste," Hepker said. "I just watched all these people throw away all these plastic bottles, and I thought, 'We should really do something about this.' "

She went to Diane Daggett, who teaches family and consumer science at the school. The school struck a deal with Dove Inc., which picks up the plastic and recycles it and keeps the money.

"It started out really strong," Hepker said. "Then people kind of started not recycling as much, so we put out signs urging people to recycle, and we've really saved a lot."

The school community excels at recycling to the point that Macon County Solid Waste Management honored them this year for collecting the most paper and the most plastic of any school in Macon County.

"Think of the oil that was conserved and the resources used to remanufacture products that your students and school were responsible for," wrote Debra L. Hughes-Garrett, environmental educator, in the congratulatory letter she sent to the school.

The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America club and FFA work together to collect and encourage recycling, because both groups are service-oriented, said FFA member Jaci Gillespie.

"We started doing this about five years ago, before any of us were in high school," Gillespie said. "We hope it continues after we graduate and people continue to recycle paper and stuff instead of throwing it into the trash can."

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